Gujarat government today announced a ban on another two instant food products after test results indicated presence of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) in some of the samples tested by the state Food and Drugs Control Administration. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a picture of the BRICS leaders and Eurasian nations at Ufa.

At least 14 people were killed in battles in Libya's second city Benghazi between militiamen and forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, hospital officials said today. 

Just in: Border Security Force jawan killed in firing by Pakistani troops on Line of Control in Baramulla sector of North Kashmir, reports PTI.  

Pakistan violated ceasefire for second day in a row; today in the Lipa Valley area of Baramulla.

Details awaited

Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea frittered away an early advantage and lost their Wimbledon men's doubles semi-finals to Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau.

The ninth-seeded Indo-Romanian pair, who had got the better of top seeds twins Mike and Bob Bryan in the quarter-finals, eventually were second best against the fourth-seeded Dutch-Romanian combine, losing 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 13-11.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza overcame stiff resistance from Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska to enter the ladies singles final at Wimbledon today.

The 20th seed beat the No 13 seed 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.She will meet the winner of the second semi-final between top seed-Serena Williams of the United States and fourth seed Maria Sharapova of Russia.

With five weeks to go for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, the Government has dispatched nearly 300 Central observers across the country to verify whether toilets have actually been built in schools, especially for girls.


Following a directive of the Prime Minister's Office, the Central observers in the rank of Director and Deputy Secretary, will visit the schools in next two days and submit their reports by July 13.


Each of the observers will visit 15 schools in urban areas and 10 in rural areas in all states to verify whether toilets have actually been built, whether separate toilets have been built for girls in co-education institutes and whether there is drinking water supply provision, official sources said.


The observers will carry out random checks, meet District Collector and prepare their assessment after visiting the schools. The observers were given a special proforma to be filled up after visiting each of the school detailing their findings about toilets, water supply and general ambience. '


Addressing the nation on the Independence Day last year, the Prime Minister had said, "There should be separate toilets for girls. Next year, when we stand here, every school should have toilets for girls and boys".

A Jet Airways flight (9W-536) made an emergency landing at Muscat International Airport this afternoon after a "bomb threat' was reported. No explosive had been found on the aircraft.

The plane, which was flying from Mumbai to Dubai, was diverted to Muscat International Airport after the pilot reportedly told the Air Traffic Controllers warned of the bomb threat.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was today shown black flags and his car stopped by Congress activists at Keshopur in New Delhi, where he had gone to inaugurate a sewage treatment plant.


The protesters, led by Congress Municipal Councillor Amrita Dhawan, laid siege to the entrance of the plant at around 10 am alleging inflated power and water bills. "People of Delhi are is despair. Power and water have got costlier. But we cannot hear a word from our Aam Aadmi Chief Minister (Kejriwal)," Dhawan said.

Home minister Rajnath Singh reaches Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Pranab Mukherjee. The two are expected to discuss today's developments with regard to the Vyapam scam. The President's view will weigh heavily on whether the Centre will act right away and ask Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav to quit or wait for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return on Sunday from his eight-day foreign tour.


The Supreme Court today, while transferring the Vyapam case to the CBI, issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh Governor. He is alleged to be involved in the questionable appointment of five persons as forest guards and the SC notice is on the grounds that he enjoyed immunity of the constitutional office he was occupying.

The full text of PM Narendra Modi's statement at the Plenary session of BRICS 2015 today. 

One for the history books, leaders of the BRICS pose. The BRICS summit, which will begin today, will see an official welcome as well as the customary meeting that leaders have with the members of the BRICS business council. The theme of this summit is 'BRICS partnership: A powerful factor for Global Development', which covers both political and economic issues. 

Congress-BJP 'tu tu main' over the Vyapam scam.

Rahul Gandhi takes a dig at the PM saying: Our PM said that 'Na khaonga na khane doonga' so I ask a question, PM-ji why are you allowing people to eat in Rajasthan? Why is PM allowing Shivraj Chouhan to go scot free?"


And this is the BJP's response: Koi khaanewala masla nahin hai. Rahul Gandhi-ji ko har jagah khaana hi dikhta hai, says Shahnawaz Hussain.


The Supreme Court today ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into all Vyapam scam cases and alleged deaths related to it and also issued notice to the Centre, Madhya Pradesh government and the Governor on a plea seeking his removal over his alleged involvement in the scandal.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday advocated the need to have hundreds of 'toilet-to-tap' sewage treatment plants to meet the burgeoning water needs of the residents of the national capital, which he said could not be met by conventional methods.


Kejriwal also sought to break the stigma associated with treated sewage by drinking a glass of water offered to him by officials at Delhi's first such plant at Keshopur, a joint venture between Delhi Jal Board and an NGO, which he inaugurated here.


"Similar plants in every colony would do away with the need to have sewer pipelines and water pipelines to transport them to big plants. Water can be produced from raw sewage at the local level at small plants such as this," Kejriwal said. 

Here's what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the BRICS summit in Ufa, Russia.


"I am thankful to President Putin for the warm welcome. I would like to thank all BRICS leaders for making Yoga Day an international success. BRICS is an important pillar of hope in the world filled with political security and an economic challenge as BRICS not only stands for the nations it represents but for the welfare of the entire world," Prime Minister Modi said in his remarks at the BRICS Business Council.


"We can mitigate any challenge better if we focus on reforms of the UN and the UN Security Council. This must be done soon," he added. Prime Minister Modi also stressed on combating the menace of terror.

"Gajendra Chauhan may be a good administrator, or even a good leader, but he lacks the basic quality of inspiring others. If the students aren't inspired, if they cannot dream big, how will they become successful?" Pallavi Joshi tells Ronjita Kulkarni/Rediff.com why she is worried about FTII's future. Read

Former FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer, a key figure in a US investigation into corruption by soccer officials, on Thursday was banned for life from football activities by the sport's governing body.


Blazer, who in 2013 secretly pleaded guilty in the United States to bribery and financial offences, was found by FIFA's ethics committee to have breached rules on loyalty, confidentiality, duty of disclosure, conflicts of interest, offering and accepting gifts and bribery and corruption.
Read more

AAP's Kondli MLA Manoj Kumar has been sent to two-day police custody by a Delhi Court. Kumar was today questioned by police in an over a month old case of alleged land grabbing. 

Just in: India, US sign tax information sharing agreement to combat evasion - statement.

Lal Bahadur Shastri's son Sunil Shastri today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declassify all files related to the death of the former PM "to clear the air" around the circumstances of his passing away.


"It's my humble appeal to the Prime Minister... we want that all the files pertaining to his death must be declassified," Sunil, who is a BJP leader, said.


Lal Bahadur Shastri died in Tashkent on January 11, 1966 at the age of 61 soon after signing the Tashkent Pact with Pakistan. It was maintained that Shastri had died of cardiac arrest but his family had alleged foul play.


Modi had described Lal Bahadur Shastri as a proud son of India as he paid glowing tributes to the former premier at Tashkent this week. "Wherever I go every second person who meets me asks me about what happened to Shastriji, how he died," Sunil, a former Rajya Sabha MP, said.


He said he had made a similar appeal three times to the previous Manmohan Singh government but nothing was done.

Also read: Declassify Netaji files, family to tell Modi

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has undergone a minor surgery for a boil on her leg and is recuperating at Medanta hospital in Gurgaon.


Irani, who had last week returned from a foreign trip, was admitted to the hospital on Monday after she complained of pain and discomfort due to the boil, sources said.


After meeting with Education secretaries of her ministry last Saturday, she cancelled several of her engagements, including a meeting of central university vice chancellors on Tuesday, they said.


The minister today addressed a gathering over video conferencing while launching the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan programme.


"She had developed a boil on the leg and underwent a minor surgery and was kept under observation for a day. Irani is recovering now and could be discharged very soon," said a source.

Loved this.

The most bitter cat fight in tennis: One's a human volcano, the other's an ice queen. And BOTH loved the same man. As they duel on Centre Court today, the venomous truth about Serena and Sharapova. Read

The family of the two-year-old girl who was killed in an accident has received unlikely support from a BJP MP and union minister.


Union minister Babul Supriyo has come on record saying that actor-politician Hema Malini made a "brutal mistake" to have left the child unattended after the accident.


This is the first time a BJP leader has been openly critical of Hema Malini after the accident last week involving her Mercedes car, in which a two-year-old girl was killed.


Supriyo's comments came a day after Hema Malini provoked sharp criticism for tweets in which she blamed the father of the child, who was driving a Maruti Alto, for violating traffic rules. The father, who is still recuperating in hospital after the accident has maintained his daughter could have been saved if the Hema Malini had helped her and taken her to hospital.


Supriyo told NDTV, "It was a brutal error on part of everyone who was there on the scene, the accident scene, including Hemaji, to have left the child back there on the road. That's a brutal mistake. Let's accept that."


He was equally critical that girl was sitting on her mother's lap in the front seat, which he said, put her at risk.


Hema Malini, has been attacked by critics for leaving the accident site in Dausa without reaching out to the family or offering help.


The MP from Mathura, was also injured in the accident and had to be given stitches to her forehead. Reports said that Hema was taken to a hospital immediately after the crash, but the family of the girl had to wait, which resulted in the death.

Yesterday, Hema Malini had tweeted: "My heart goes out to the child who unnecessarily lost her life and the family members who have been injured in the accident. How I wish the girl's father had followed the traffic rules - thn this accident could have been averted & the lil one's life safe!"

Virtually defending its move to block India's demand in the UN to take action against Pakistan for the release of Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, China today said its stand was based on "facts" and in the spirit of "objectiveness and fairness".


"As a permanent member of the UN Security Council China always deals with the 1267 committee matters based on facts and in the spirit of objectiveness and fairness," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said today.


She was responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking up the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at the Russian city Ufa on the sidelines of the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summits yesterday.


Terming Modi-Xi talks as "constructive and inclusive", she said China has maintained good communication with India and other parties on the  Lakhvi issue.


About India's concerns over terrorism, she said, "I can tell you that both India and China are victims of terrorism. China opposes to all forms of terrorism and support the UN playing the leading role in coordinating international cooperation on anti-terrorism. China has actively taken part in global cooperation."

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan defends himself in the aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict handing over the Vyapam probe to the CBI.


"I am thankful to Supreme Court. The day before yesterday I had filed a petition in the MP HC for the same. The Congress is suffering from 'Shivraj phobia'. They have been demanding my resignation five to six times a day.


"The questions raised on the government makes it imperative that the CBI investigates this case. But I can says that several baseless allegations levelled against me," said Chouhan. 

Meanwhile, the MP governor is likely to meet the President today.

The Supreme Court today ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into all Vyapam scam cases and alleged deaths related to it and also issued notice to the Centre, Madhya Pradesh government and the Governor on a plea seeking his removal over his alleged involvement in the scandal.

Just in: AAP MLA form Kondli detained in Delhi for assault. 

The  SC has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe all the Vyapam linked cases, but with over 6,562 corruption cases pending trial, justice through the overstretched agency is unlikely to be quick. The Vyapam case must first be investigated. It will go to trial only after a chargesheet is filed and the investigation completed.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh to meet President Pranab Mukherjee this evening. Rajnath may recommend MP governor's ouster. Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav had been named as "Accused No 10" in a criminal case; while the governor's constitutional immunity protected him from investigation, many of the others named with him in the case are now in jail. BJP sources says that the Centre will not object if the governor resigns on his own, but the decision on whether the governor should be asked to quit is likely to take place after the PM returns to Delhi.

PM Narendra Modi speaking at BRICS Business Council in Ufa, Russia. Modi. "We need to see our strengths and then cooperate on skill development. I am thankful to President Putin for hosting the BRICS summit. It's an important meet. We (BRICS members) can form good coordination in skill development," he said. 


Modi will attend the seventh BRICS summit in Ufa on Thursday, followed by participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Home secretary Anil Goswami meets home minister Rajnath Singh on the Supreme Court notice to Madhya Pradesh governor asking why he should not step down. Decision on whether MP governor stays or goes soon. 

So, it's confirmed.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to meet tomorrow morning in Ufa, Russia.

According to sources, the two leaders, who will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, will be meeting on the sidelines of it. However, the details of the meeting were not officially confirmed.

Modi and Sharif had last met in Kathmandu in November at the SAARC Summit where they did not, however, hold any bilateral meeting.

Earlier at the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan, the Prime Minister had called Sharif and extended his best wishes while stressing the need for having peaceful and bilateral ties. During his telephonic conversation, Modi had also conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart India's decision to release detained Pakistani fishermen on the occasion of Ramzan.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar addressing a press conference says there will be good news soon on the One Rank One Pension issue. Cross-border terrorism has come down, the defence minister said but refused to divulge details when asked about the possibility of Myanmar-like strikes in future. "Such things are a secret and cannot be shared," Parrikar said. 

The death of yet another witness in the Vyapam scam has come to light with the Special Task Force (STF), which is probing the case, telling a special court he died of liver ailment in February.


The STF officials yesterday informed the court that the witness, identified as Sanjay Singh Yadav, aged around 35, died of serious illness on February 8 at a private hospital in Bhopal.


The STF also submitted his death certificate before the court. According to Yadav's family members, he was suffering from Hepatitis-B and some liver problem, a senior STF official said.


Yadav was a witness in the constable recruitment scam in which three accused, identified as Azharuddin, Naeem and Kaseem, all residents of Uttar Pradesh, were arrested.


The arrests were made in Bhopal in front of Yadav as witness, the official said.


A number of accused and witnesses in the infamous Vyapam scam, related to admission in medical colleges and recruitment for various government jobs, have died mysteriously.


Investigative TV journalist Akshay Singh died mysteriously at Meghnagar in Jhabua district last week after he had interviewed the parents of a girl who was found dead after her name figured in the massive scandal.


A US-based media watchdog recently demanded a credible and thorough investigation into the death of Singh.


Soon after the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was earlier reluctant to hand over the probe into the scam to CBI, decided to write to the MP High Court for an investigation by the central agency into the scandal which is said to have claimed over 40 lives, including that of witnesses.

And a break from Vyapam for this lovely cartoon on gender equality. UN Women ran a comic and cartoon competition 2015 on gender equality. This is the winner.

Quick takes

--  The Supreme Court has ordered a CBI probe into the criminality of the case and deaths of witnesses in the Vyapam scam. It has transferred all cases related to the Vyapam scam to the CBI.

-- The Supreme Court issues a notice to the Centre on the petition seeking the removal of the Madhya Pradesh governor for his alleged involvement in the Vyapam scam. It asks the MP governor why he should not be removed.

-- Supreme Court likely to monitor the CBI investigation in the Vyapam scam.

-- The next date of hearing in the Supreme Court is July 24. The court also issued notices to the Centre, CBI and others and asked for a response within four weeks (by July 24).

-- The CBI will probe all deaths related to the Vyapam scam.

-- The SC will hear the concerns of whistleblowers on a separate hearing.

-- CBI to reply on July 24 whether Apex Court should monitor the probe.

The family of deceased journalist Akshay Singh, whom Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met today, has refused any kind of help from the Madhya Pradesh government, but demanded an impartial probe to ascertain the cause of his death.


After Chouhan visited the grieving family to offer his condolences, the deceased journalist Akshay's sister said, "The Chief Minister assured all possible help from the MP government. He even offered me a job at the Madhya Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi, besides monetary help."


Akshay's mother, however, said the family needs nothing but a thorough probe in this matter.


"When he left home, he was healthy, fit and fine. What happened all of a sudden that he died a mysterious death. We don't need any help but just a fair probe which can ascertain the cause of the death of my son," she said.


"The Chief Minister reached our residence at 8.50 am and left by around 9.05 am. He expressed his concern and sensitivity. But after all, he is a politician and we need to judge him by his act," the journalist's sister added.


Akshay died under mysterious circumstances last week while covering the Vyapam scam involving Jhabua-based MBBS student Namrata Damor, who was found dead after her name figured in the scam.


There have been demands from the Congress for a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe, even as Chief Minister Chouhan has written to the High Court for a CBI probe into the matter.

The SC has also ordered all Vyapam scam cases to be transferred to the CBI after Attorney General tells court that CBI can investigate this case.  The SC also slammed the Jabalpur HC on why it did not order a CBI probe and asks the HC not to proceed with the matter as it is in the SC.

And so it begins. The Supreme Court issues a notice to the Centre on the petition seeking the removal of the Madhya Pradesh governor for his alleged involvement in the Vyapam scam. The Supreme Court has also ordered a CBI probe into the criminality of the case and deaths of witnesses in the Vyapam scam.


MP governor Ram Naresh Yadav is accused of recommending appointments of forest guards. Kapil Sibal arguing the petition says the Madhya Pradesh high court was wrong to quash an FIR against the governor as Vyapam CEO had recorded a statement against the governor for his role. The SC has issued a notice to the Central Govt and others on a petition demanding removal of the MP Governor.


The Supreme Court also pulled up the Madhya Pradesh HC saying it was washing its hands off the case. The MP HC has deferred the hearing in the case till the SC gave its order.

More on the Shopian shootout.


A pistol-borne youth shot at a cop in a court at the Shopian district  court and fled the spot.The incident happened when a constable Mohammad Yousuf from Srinagar was busy frisking people at court entrance along with his two other colleagues.

Eye witnesses told Kashmir Life, a youth believed to be a suspected militant showed up at the gate and tried to snatch the AK-47 from the cop. "But the cop didn't let the rifle go,' the eye witnesses said. "As a scuffle of sorts ensued, other cops rushed towards the gate. Sensing the threat, the youth took out a pistol and shot the cop, Mohammad Yousuf and fled the spot," the eyewitness said.


The injured cop was rushed to Srinagar's SMHS hospital where his condition is said to be very critical. Meanwhile, a police party has launched manhunt to nab the youth.

A policeman has been injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire in south Kashmir's Shopian district. He was evacuated to a hospital while security has tightened at the spot. Mukhtar Ahmad/Rediff.com

Details awaited.

Meanwhile, away from the murky Vyapam probe, in Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took up with President Xi Jinping the issue of China putting on "technical hold" India's move in the United Nations to question Pakistan on the release of 26/11 attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.


During the course of their 95-minute meeting ahead of the BRICS and SCO summit in the Russian city of Ufa, the two leaders also discussed border issues and the need to accelerate the boundary talks process.


Modi also conveyed to Xi concerns in India over the economic corridor China is building through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

In all six petitions will be heard today. According to the Economic Times, two petitions coming up in the court of Chief Justice HL Dattu have been filed by whistleblower Sanjay Shukla seeking the removal of governor Yadav.


Two petitions, filed by digital forensic specialist and whistleblower Prashant Pandey and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, challenge the April 24 High Court order, which rejected evidence by Pandey as doctored.


The other petitions have been filed by whistleblowers Ashish Chaturvedi and Anand Rai seeking an investigation into the alleged scam. Advocate Prashant Bhushan will appear for whistleblower Rai.

Petitioner Digvijaya Singh reaches the Supreme Court. The Congress leader is one of six petitioners seeking a court-monitored probe into the Vyapam scam.  


Digvijaya Singh tweeted: "Going to Hon Supreme Court for Vyapam.I am sure the Truth shall prevail. Nexus  of Corrupt People in Establishment would be exposed."

The Congress has thrown its might behind the petition with a battery of high-profile lawyers who will argue for an investigation into the scam by the CBI be monitored by the apex court. The petioners also seek the removal of Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav for his alleged role in the irregularities.


Among the lawyers are former law minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, legal activist and former additional solicitor general Indira Jaising, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan and senior advocate Vivek Tankha.


Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi may appear on behalf of the CBI and has also reached the Supreme Court.  

The BJP, meanwhile, declared the Vyapam scam "closed" even before the Supreme Court begins hearing the petitions asking for a CBI probe monitored by it.

A constable in Madhya Pradesh who was to appear as a witness in the Vyapam scam, died two months ago, a court was told on Wednesday. This takes the unusual death count in the admission and recruitment scandal to 47.


Sanjay Kumar Yadav was a resident of Uttar Pradesh and was to testify yesterday in the Jabalpur High Court against three accused persons. State government sources say he died of hepatitis and there was "nothing untoward" in the way he died. Read more

The debt-ridden Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is mulling to raise funds from the market and through its land component on both sides of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.


Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had recently formed a infrastructure panel and it is expected that the financial issue relating to MSRDC will also be raised in its first meeting.


State PWD minister Eknath Shinde claimed that during the Congress-NCP regime in the state, MSRDC failed to construct any new project across the state.


"The Congress-NCP regime was nothing but the politics of revenge against each other and hence MSRDC could not work during their regime," Shinde said. He said his department has undertaken several projects of roads and tunnel development and that Fadnavis is backing his department.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has sought the help of the Mumbai police to probe who is behind a fake message in his name about his forthcoming movie "Bajrangi Bhaijan" doing the rounds on social media and WhatsApp groups, police said.


"A complaint has been registered with the Cyber Cell by his aide on the messages being circulated on various social media. We are looking into it before deciding further," Mumbai police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni said. 


The purported social media messages along with a morphed picture of the actor claims that his forthcoming movie "Bajrangi Bhaijan" would prove to be a hit even without his Muslim fans watching.

The Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh can no longer be considered just another corruption scandal of the conventional sort. It appears to be unique in combining the average fraudster's ability to manipulate systems, with the reach and ruthlessness of an organised mafia-like group that can eliminate inconvenient suspects and witnesses. Read the Hindu editorial.

The benchmark BSE Sensex recovered over 110 points in early trade today after retreating for two straight sessions, on value buying by participants in select blue chip stocks amid rebound in Chinese stocks.


Besides, optimistic buying activity ahead of the release of first quarter earnings by India's largest software services company TCS after trading hours today, influenced market sentiments.


The 30-share index recovered by 110.41 points, or 0.39 per cent, at 27,798.13 on the back of gains in capital goods, healthcare, realty and consumer durables sector stocks.

Trading on the New York Stock Exchange was shut down for hours on Wednesday as the exchange tried to cope with what appeared to be a technical glitch, rather than an attack.

A Baghdad court sentenced 24 men to death by hanging Wednesday over a June 2014 massacre committed by militants near the Iraqi city of Tikrit, said a spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council.

The Indian Army has revamped its website to commence online registration for enrollment of officers and recruitment of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and other ranks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin today pitched for increased cooperation with India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met him here for about 90-minutes, during which the two leaders discussed a host of issues, including market access issues and "challenges" to visa.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has decided to include India as a full-fledged member, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight, two days ahead of the Summit of the six-nation grouping.

Eight fishermen stranded in mid sea off Theresupram hamlet due to a technical snag in their boat were today rescued by Coast Guard and brought ashore.

London's Underground network came to a standstill today as its staff began a 24-hour strike in a row over pay and work conditions.

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Vyapam scam: CM won't resign, SC to take call on CBI probe

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivaraj Chauhan should step down to pave the way for a free and fair CBI probe into the Vyaapam scam, the CPI said today.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivaraj Chauhan should step down to pave the way for a free and fair CBI probe into the Vyaapam scam, the CPI said today.